2 min readAhmedabadJan 12, 2014 05:37 AM IST
First published on: Jan 12, 2014 at 05:37 AM IST
Expressing dissatisfaction over lack of quality in higher education teaching, especially command over the English language, Lord Bhikhu Parekh, member of House of Lords, Britain, suggested translation of the classics from their original language into Gujarati if the students could not master English. He said that in India, higher education was not “higher” but “further” education with the result there was no fundamental research at institutes or IITs, “instead they turned into a good departure lounge for going to the US”.
Addressing the 14th Ramlal Parikh Memorial Lecture presided over by prominent educationist Dr Ravindra Dave here on Saturday at Ahmedabad Management Association, Lord Parikh said the key to improve quality of higher education lay in a deep sense of love for the country and integrity in learning. Parekh observed that almost all intellectuals and great leaders had studied abroad but they had kept their roots in India. However, he lamented that “education” was reduced to “human resources” suggesting its change of focus from learning to its commercial use.
He suggested that select Indian students with true talent and excellence should be sent abroad for higher studies at Government expense in large groups and be brought back to India for spreading their knowledge among others.
Another way, he said, was to source teachers from everywhere, including foreigners, to prepare model subjects so that they go live all over the country (rather world) at the same time with the same teacher.
“This will save plenty of time and give teachers free time to prepare students on a one-to-one basis. The memorial lecture was held under the aegis of Indian Society for Community Education, Ahmedabad, under P J Divatia as its chairman.
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